This Love Will Never End
by Toosie02
Summary: Jaylyn Matheson was a very independent woman. What do you expect from the sister of Miles and Ben Matheson? From the moment she met Sebastian Monroe she knew that there was connection between them. But after the blackout, he begins to change and she must make the biggest decision of her life...stay with him or leave and face the consequences...Rated M for violence & sexual content
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1-The moment our eyes met

This story is based on the T.V show Revolution. I do not own any of it besides the characters I created.

"He's here!" Ben said, failing to hide his excitement. I rolled my eyes and smiled. He shoo-ed me into the living room and I glanced at Rachel who just shrugged. I hid in the other room just as the front door opened.  
"Ben!" I heard Miles yell as he crossed the room and pulled Ben into a big bear hug, or that's what it sounded like by the grunt of pain.  
"Miles, it's good to have you home little brother" Ben said. I heard Miles pull Rachel into a hug before I decided to come out from hiding. Miles glanced over at me and his jaw dropped.  
"Jaylyn?" he asked in shock. A huge smile spread across my face and I sprinted through the kitchen and jumped in his arms, hugging him tightly.  
"Hey little brother" I said into his neck. He pulled away and put his hands on my shoulders looking down at me in disbelief.  
"What...when...how?" he stuttered.  
"I got back a few weeks ago. We wanted to surprise you. I'm so glad you're home safe" I said as I hugged him again. That's when I noticed there was someone else in the room. Standing awkwardly by the door was the most handsome man I'd ever seen. He was tall but everyone seemed tall to me since I was only 5'4 and I could see that he was well built. He smiled shyly at me and my jaw almost dropped. He had an amazing smile but his eyes were what made me feel like I was having a heart attack. They were the most beautiful blue I'd ever seen. I knew I was gawking slightly and I snapped myself out of it and looked up Miles, smiling.  
"Oh you've never met Bass before. Jay, this is my best friend Sebastian Monroe" he said Sebastian stepped forward and stuck a hand out but I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. I felt him stiffen slightly before he awkwardly hugged me back.  
"Thank you for keeping him safe" I said quietly before placing a kiss on his cheek. I backed away and his cheeks were red. I turned to Miles and smiled.  
"When do you go back?" I asked. His smile fell slightly.  
"Two days" he mumbled. I groaned.  
"Let's go out tonight then. I could go for a few drinks" I said looking between Miles and Bass. I knew that Rachel and Ben wouldn't go out. They had Charlie and Danny to worry about. Bass shrugged and we both looked at Miles expectantly.  
"I don't know, Jay." he said. I laughed.  
"You're just afraid your sister's gonna out drink you" I said. That caught his attention and he glared at me.  
"Fine" he said and I smirked.  
"I'll be right back" I said, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek before running upstairs. I had spent the night so I could spend more time with Danny and Charlie so I had packed an overnight bag. I took out a pair of skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and pulled them on before I grabbed my shin high black boots with about a two inch heel. I went into the bathroom and pulled the hair elastic out of my hair letting it fall around my shoulders in slight waves. I ran my fingers through it a few times before I applied a small amount of mascara. I looked myself over and nodded in approval and grabbed my light black leather jacket. I threw everything else back in my bag, double checking to make sure I had everything. I walked back down the stairs and grabbed my purse off the table near the stairs. I went into the living room to find everyone sitting there talking about Charlie and Danny. Sebastian was the first to notice my entrance and he did a double take which made me blush slightly.  
"You guys ready?" I asked. Miles looked at me, his jaw dropping.  
"When did you become...a girl?" he asked as he stood up. I punched him in the arm lightly.  
"Before birth, jackass" I said. I took my keys out of my purse. "I'll drive. I've got an apartment within walking distance of the bar. You can crash at my place if you need to"  
Miles shrugged and headed out the door.  
"I'll see you guys soon" I said hugging Ben and Rachel then kissing Charlie and Danny on the forehead. "I love you"  
I walked outside to find Miles and Sebastian standing by my car, staring at it in disbelief. It was a black 1967 ford mustang. It was my pride and joy.  
"This is yours?" Sebastian exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and went to the drivers side.  
"Sorry it's not very roomy. One of you is gonna have to squeeze in back." I said. Sebastian looked at Miles who rolled his eyes and climbed in back. I got in and glanced over Sebastian and laughed. Both of them looked like little boys on Christmas.  
"You sure you can drive this thing?" Sebastian asked, smirking. I glared at him and started the car before shifting into first and peeling out onto the street. We reached my apartment in ten minutes. I whipped into the parking lot and spun into a spot perfectly before I turned the car off. Miles and Sebastian were staring at me in shock.  
"You guys trying to catch flies or something?" I asked as I climbed out of the car and turned down the street towards the bar.  
"You're not gonna show us your place first?" Miles asked.  
"You really want to see it that bad?" I asked. He shrugged. I sighed and walked to the front door and unlocked it. I climbed the stairs to the second floor. My apartment was only two doors down from the stairs. I unlocked it and showed them inside. I was very pleased with my apartment. The living room had ten foot ceilings and the kitchen was rather roomy. It was a two bedroom two bathroom apartment and it had come with a washer and dryer already in it. I had a couch and a rec-liner, and a 40 inch t.v. One of the bookshelves had a few pictures on it. One of me holding Charlie when she was first born, another of me, Ben and Miles right before I left four years ago, and one of me holding Danny.  
"Welcome, gentlemen, to my humble abode" I said waving my arms dramatically. I glanced at Sebastian and saw his lips twitch into a slight smile. Miles went strait to the kitchen and opened the fridge. "Oh make yourself at home Miles" I said sarcastically. He pulled three beers out of the fridge.  
"Don't mind if I do" he said, popping the tops off of all three of them and handing them out.  
"This is a nice apartment, Jaylyn" Sebastian said.  
"Why thank you. And please, call me Jay" I said taking a big gulp of my beer.  
"So, what did you do before you got here?" Sebastian asked.  
"I served four years in the Army" I said simply, finishing my beer. Sebastian looked at me like I had three heads.  
"What was your job?" he asked. I looked at Miles who looked at me apologetically.  
"Sorry I don't like to mention to my buddies that I have an intimidating, sort of terrifying older sister" he said defensively.  
"You're such a little sissy sometimes" I joked. He threw a pillow at me and I stuck my tongue out at him.  
"I was Special Forces" I said. Sebastian choked on his beer.  
"I thought they didn't allow women in those kind of jobs" he said. I looked at him and he swallowed. "Not that I think you're incapable or anything." he stammered.  
"I was...different. I excelled in basic and by the time I graduated I was asked to switch jobs. So I did." I said as I walked to the fridge and grabbed another round of beers.  
"I thought we were going to the bar" Miles wined. I laughed.  
"If you think you're bringing some bimbo into my apartment, you're wrong. And I doubt you'd pick anyone up dressed like that ya bum" I said, smirking. He raised an eyebrow.  
"Challenge accepted" he said gulping down his entire beer. I sighed and downed mine.  
"You're not banging some skank in my guest bedroom." I said as we exited my apartment. He leaned down and kissed my cheek and winked. I groaned and locked the door behind me. I could already tell that this was going to be an interesting night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two-The first of many long nights

"Alright so what's the bet?" Miles asked as we sat at the bar. There were a decent amount of people there but it wasn't unbearable.  
"I don't know, Miles. What do you want the bet to be?" I asked as I leaned on the bar to get the bartenders attention. His eyes glanced my way and he immediately came over to me, not trying to hide the fact that his eyes were fixed on my breasts more than my face.  
"What can I get ya sweetheart?" he asked, leaning close.  
"Three shots of Jack and whatever these two want" I said, motioning to Sebastian and Miles who did not look pleased.  
"Two Budweisers please" Sebastian said. He sounded angry. The bartender continued to stand there looking at me.  
"I'm Chris." he said, sticking his hand out.  
"Courtney" I said, shaking his hand. He winked before going to get our drinks.  
"So Courtney" Miles said, smirking.  
"He's not my type" I said, leaning back in my chair. Chris returned with my shots and I reached for my wallet but he shook his head.  
"On the house" he said before handing Miles and Sebastian their drinks. He looked at them expectantly and I stifled a laugh at the looks on their faces. They paid him and glared as he walked away. I tipped back the first shot and turned to Miles.  
"Alright Jay, here are the terms. If I can get someone to leave with me, even dressed like this" he motioned to his raggedy jeans and plain black t-shirt. "You have to shotgun two beers in less than twenty seconds" I rolled my eyes and tipped back my second shot.  
"And if you don't you have to get up on the bar, take your shirt off and wave it around your head yelling 'I'm a pretty pretty princess'" I said. He looked at me like I was crazy before he smiled and stuck his hand out.  
"You're on" he said as I shook it. Sebastian looked at us funny.  
"What?" I asked, taking my third shot as Miles began his quest for the night.  
"You guys are strange" he said, smiling. I looked at his profile and I was amazed at how handsome he was.  
"It's always been that way with us. Ben was always the 'normal' one" I said as I leaned back over the bar. Chris was there in an instant.  
"Budweiser please, Chris" I said, winking. He nodded and was back with my beer in a flash. I put a five on the table and he pushed it back, shaking his head before going back to the other customers. I smiled and turned back to watch Miles make a fool of himself.  
"I bet you've never had to pay for a drink before" Sebastian said, a slight smile playing at his lips.  
"It's actually quite annoying" I said, taking a sip of beer. We didn't say anything for a while, just watched Miles strike out for the second time. Sebastian was the one to break the silence.  
"Miles talks about you all the time" he said. I glanced at him.  
"Don't believe everything you hear" I said, laughing. He looked at me and smiled and I felt my heart jump in my throat.  
"He forgot to mention how beautiful you were" he said and I nearly choked on my beer. He laughed lightly as I took a deep breath.  
"Sorry." I muttered, completely embarrassed. I was acting like I was some giddy high school girl.  
"Quite the charmer, aren't ya?" I said, trying to recover from my foul up. He shrugged and looked away but I could see him smiling. He didn't respond and we sat quietly watching Miles talk to some blonde bimbo in a tight skirt and shirt. He was incredibly drunk.  
"We should get him out of here before he gets sick all over the place" I said. Sebastian looked at me.  
"You want to leave?" he asked. I shrugged.  
"It's only ten. The night is young but Miles wont make it much longer." I said as I watched Miles stumble over himself as he came over to us. He plopped down in a chair next to me.  
"You ready to go Miles?" I asked as he took another shot then nodded.  
"You win, Jay" he slurred. I laughed and raised an eyebrow. He sighed and stood, taking his shirt off. I had to help him on the bar and he swung his shirt around over his head.  
"I'm a pretty pretty princess!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. I burst out laughing, as did Sebastian and the entire bar. I helped him get down and put his arm around my shoulder.  
"Let's get you home" I said. Sebastian slung Miles' other arm over his shoulder. It took us about fifteen minutes to make it to my apartment. I led him into my guest bedroom and pulled the sheets back. He fell face first onto the bed and I proceeded to take his shoes off and his belt. I pulled the sheets back over him and heard him snoring. I rolled my eyes and kissed his cheek before leaving and closing the door behind me. Sebastian was sitting on the couch, waiting. He looked up when I entered.  
"Now what?" he asked. I leaned against the island in my kitchen, thinking.  
"I don't know." I said thoughtfully. I hadn't been dancing in a long time. "Can you dance?" I asked. He laughed.  
"I had something else in mind but yea I can dance" He said as he stood and walked closer. I raised an eyebrow.  
"Something else?" I asked, my voice catching involuntarily. He stopped just inches away from me and I could feel the heat radiating from his body. His hand came up and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. My skin tingled where his fingers gently brushed my cheek and my eyes went to his mouth. It was a very kissable mouth.  
"Something that would probably piss Miles off immensely." He said quietly. I swallowed and looked up into his eyes. They were mesmerizing.  
"Oh" I said almost inaudible. He leaned closer until our lips were almost touching and he made eye contact as if asking permission. I nervously licked my lips and that was all he needed. His fingers slid through my hair and grabbed a handful at the base of my neck and tipped my head back before his lips pressed against mine. It was gentle and safe and I moaned slightly. He broke the kiss a lot sooner than I wanted him too. He smiled down at me before stepping away. I had to lean on the counter to keep myself from falling. He walked over to my stereo system and began to look through my ipod that was hooked up to it. He scrolled through for a while before he picked a song which surprised me. It was a song I hadn't listened to in a long time. Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade. He turned and held a hand out to me. I took it and he pulled me close, his hands going to my waist. I put my hands around his neck and tried to steady my breathing. He began to move and I followed his lead. The entire time he didn't break eye contact and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. The song ended and he stopped. His hand came up and he brushed his knuckles across my cheek. My skin tingled like crazy. My body was responding to him unlike anyone else. I had never been this attracted to a man ever in my life.  
"We should get some sleep" he said quietly, stepping away and sitting on the couch. He reached down and took his boots off as if he was going to sleep on the couch. I had never slept with a man on the first night but right now my morals were going out the window. I wanted him. All of him.  
"I'm not tired" I said as I walked over to him. I put one leg on either side of him so I was straddling him. He looked up at me, surprised. I ran my fingers through his hair and tipped his head back so it was easier to kiss him. It wasn't the shy, gentle kiss we shared before. It was passionate and aggressive. His hands went to my hips and I could feel his nails digging into my jeans. His hands moved up my body and slid my jacket off my shoulders and threw it aside then moved to the backs of my thighs as he stood, my legs wrapping around his waist. It was like I didn't weigh anything. He took me to my room and closed the door behind him before laying me down on the bed, never breaking the kiss. His hands went to the hem of my shirt and pulled it off as I did the same to him. I gasped at the sight of him in just his jeans. He was incredibly toned and his six pack was well defined. I ran my hands over his chest and arms and they were rock hard. He was gazing down at me, his eyes full of lust. Thank God I was in good shape. My stomach was well toned as well as the rest of me. I made sure to take care of myself once I got out of the Army.  
"You are so beautiful" he whispered. I pulled him close and kissed him again and went to take his pants off when he stopped me and pulled away from the kiss. "I can't do this"  
I looked up at him, trying not to look as hurt as I felt. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. I sat up and pulled my shirt on. I went to stand and he pulled me onto him so I was straddling him again.  
"It's not that I don't want you, Jaylyn, because I really, really do" he said.  
"Then what is it?" I asked quietly. He was still shirt-less and it was hard to think strait still.  
"I don't want to do this and then it be awkward between us because I know I'll want to do this again" he said. I looked at him, confused.  
"How do you know you'd want to do it again?" I asked. He laughed.  
"Well for one you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And not just on the outside. I want to know you. All of you." he said, tucking my hair behind my ear. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. The truth was, I wanted the same thing. I don't know what it was about him but there was so much more I wanted to know. I smiled down at him and placed a light kiss on his lips.  
"You're sweet" I said simply. He smiled and I kissed him again. "It wont be weird. And I can already tell that one night wont be enough for me either"  
He grinned and pulled me into a deep kiss and we spent the night getting lost in each other...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three-The Blackout

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Miles asked as he threw his bag into the trunk of my car.  
"Miles, you know that your piece of crap wont make it back to Parris Island. Besides, I haven't seen you in so long and I want to spend as much time with you as I can" I said, glancing at Sebastian who winked, making sure Miles didn't see. Miles looked at me and raised an eyebrow.  
"It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you're sleeping with my best friend and wanna be around him more, would it?" he asked after a moment of silence. My mouth opened and closed like a fish but no words came out. I looked at Sebastian who was doing basically the same thing. "You two weren't exactly discrete about it the other night"  
"I...We..." I stuttered. Miles rolled his eyes.  
"I should be mad but I'm not. My two best friends being together is the best I could ask for." he said, shrugging. "But if I have to hear you two going at it again I'll kill you both"  
My face was on fire as I glanced at Sebastian who was trying not to laugh. Miles kissed me on the cheek before turning to Sebastian and pulling him into a brief hug. I went over to Ben and hugged him tightly.  
"I'll see you soon" I said. He smiled and handed me Danny who was only six months old. I held and kissed his forehead. "I love you Danny. So much" I whispered before handing him back and turning to Rachel.  
"Thank you for letting me stay" I said hugging her and kissing her on the cheek. I looked down at Charlie who smiled up at me. She was almost two now. I kneeled down and she wrapped her arms around my neck.  
"Bye Auntie Jay. I wove you" she said. I smiled and hugged her back.  
"I love you too Charlie. I'll see you soon" I said. She stood on her tip toes and kissed me on my cheek before backing up and clinging to Rachel's leg. Miles and Sebastian said their goodbyes and we all climbed into my car to begin our drive to Parris Island.

~Two hours later~  
I lit my cigarette and leaned my head back against the headrest. We had been sitting in traffic for over an hour.  
"Some of these people are lucky I don't have a gun within arms reach right now" I said angrily. Miles laughed.  
"I doubt you should ever have a loaded weapon anywhere near you" he teased. I glared at him in my rear view mirror when his phone rang. He pulled it out and flipped it open.  
"Hey Ben you're on speaker" he said.  
"Miles, listen to me. The lights are going to go out" Ben said. He sounded frantic.  
"Ben, relax." Miles said.  
"No, Miles you don't understand! The lights are going to go out and they will never come back on!" Ben yelled. He started to say something else but he began to break up and we couldn't make out what he was saying.  
"Ben?" Miles said. The only thing that we heard was static. I glanced around and I gasped.  
"Miles" I whispered as I got out of the car. Sebastian and Miles both got out of the car and looked in the direction I was looking. We were at a part of the highway that was flat enough to see for miles and all of the lights were turning off. Suddenly, the cars around us started to shut off, along with mine. I looked at it and leaned in, turning the key but got absolutely no response. I stood up and looked around. Everyone was getting out of their cars, bewildered.  
"Do you hear that?" I asked, looking around. The roaring noise was getting louder. I looked up and my eyes widened. "Holy shit" I muttered. A plane was falling full speed towards us. Sebastian pulled me to his side as we all watched the plane fall into a field only about 300 yards down the highway. There were screams and people began to panic. I pulled away from Sebastian and opened the trunk of my car. I grabbed my bag and started emptying things I didn't need. I looked at my heels that I had worn the other night and sighed before tossing them aside. I grabbed both of their bags and tossed them on the ground.  
"Anything you don't need stays behind" I said before I pulled the mat that covered the floor of my trunk out. I grabbed my keys and pulled out the smallest one and unlocked the compartment that had been hidden underneath the mat. I opened it and Sebastian whistled.  
"Holy shit, Jaylyn" he mumbled as he looked at the contents. It was safe to say I had a small arsenal in my trunk. At least ten different guns and a variety of knives. I grabbed the empty bag that I kept in there as well and tossed it on the ground then grabbed the belt that I had stashed in there and strapped it around my waist. I grabbed my 9mm and loaded a clip into it before putting it in the holster on my belt. I grabbed a knife and strapped it around my left thigh and slid a smaller one in my boot. Then I loaded the rest of my handguns and two shotguns into the bag along with all the ammunition I had. The bag was going to be heavy but it was manageable. I looked at Sebastian and Miles who were just staring at me. Others were starting to notice what we were doing.  
"It is about to get insane around here so please, hurry up" I snapped as I went back to the drivers seat and fished through my purse. I grabbed my cigarettes and my lighter and left everything else there.  
"Jaylyn, you're over reacting. Just calm down" Miles said. I whipped around and glared at him and he took a step back.  
"Did you not hear what Ben said? Did you not see the plane that just fell out of the sky?" I asked taking a step closer. He looked afraid of me for a moment. "The power is out and it is not coming back on. In twenty four hours panic will start to take over. We need to get out of here and find food and water. So please, grab your shit and lets go" I said, storming past him and taking two of the handguns out of the bag and loading them. I handed one to each of them and they took them before grabbing their bags. People around us were already starting to panic and I headed off the pavement and in the direction of the city that had just been lit up by thousands of lights. Now it was pitch black and the only light we had was the moon. We hit the tree line and we moved quickly.  
"Do you know where you're going?" Sebastian asked. I rolled my eyes.  
"Trust me." I said as we made our way through the trees. After about a half an hour we reached the edge of the trees. As much as I didn't want to go into a city, we needed food and water. We reached a gas station and there weren't too many people there.  
"Grab anything you can find. And be quick please" I said quietly as I moved through the isles. I took my bag off my back and opened it. I shoved canned food and snacks into it before I moved to the drinks. I grabbed as many bottles of water that I could fit before I noticed the alcohol. I grabbed a six pack of Corona and saw the small section of liquor. Fortunately they had Jack Daniels and I grabbed a bottle of that as well. I made my way back to the front of the store just as Sebastian and Miles did and I moved to go out the door.  
"Hey! You have to pay for that stuff!" The guy standing behind the counter said. He had a flashlight and was pointing it at my face. I grabbed my gun and pointed it at his face. He gasped and his jaw dropped. "Jesus lady just take it" he said, raising his arms in defense. I put my gun away and walked out the door, the guys following close behind. I lead us back to the woods and stopped after about five minutes. I opened the bottle of Jack and took a long pull.  
"Glad you have all the necessities." Sebastian said. I glared at him.  
"Miles, what did you get?" I asked. He opened his bag and he had mostly the same stuff I had.  
"Sebastian?" I asked. Miles laughed.  
"Sebastian?!" He said, continuing to laugh.  
"Thank you, Jaylyn. Please don't call me that. It's Bass" He said glaring at me. I rolled my eyes.  
"Fine, Bass." I said, looking through the contents of his bag. He had been smarter and grabbed toothbrushes and toothpaste, soaps and stuff of that nature.  
"We need to get to base." Bass said. I nodded in agreement.  
"Can you get us there?" I asked. He smiled and nodded. "Alright. Let's go"  
He stood Miles and I followed as we made our way to Parris Island...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four-The beginning

Eight Weeks after the Blackout

I packed up my bag as did Miles and Bass.  
"Are you sure you want to leave? Who knows what it's like out there right now" I said to Miles. He nodded. We were heading to Chicago. We hadn't really been off the base since we got here. From what we've heard, things got pretty bad after a few days. People killing each other for food and out of fear. We had only left once to find more weapons that didn't require ammunition. Most of the stores had been raided but not many people went for the swords. I pulled my belt on that now had sheath for my awesome Samurai sword that I had found in one of the stores. I also had two older, Revolutionary war style swords on my back. Over the past eight weeks, Bass and I had grown closer and closer together. He told me about his family and how they died. I was head over heels in love with him but I hadn't expressed it yet. Strong arms wrapped around my waist and I smiled.  
"Ready sweetheart?" Bass asked as he pressed a kiss to my neck. I nodded and we grabbed our things before leaving Parris Island for good...

~Four hours later~  
The sun was setting and we had been walking for a long time. I reached in my back pocket and pulled out my cigarettes, lighting one.  
"Those things are going to kill you someday" Miles said. I rolled my eyes.  
"Really? I had no idea. You're a genius Miles!" I said sarcastically and smiled. He punched my arm and glared at me. I glanced to my left and stopped, my eyes wide.  
"You okay babe?" Bass asked, following my gaze. There was a small clearing in the woods and there was a small orange tent set up in it, but that wasn't what caught my attention. It was the two dead bodies sprawled out in front of the tent. They were a young couple, barely 25 years old. I took a few steps closer and saw that they had been beaten to death. I swallowed and walked up to the tent.  
"Jaylyn" Miles said cautiously. I opened the tent and it was completely empty.  
"They were robbed" I said as I looked around. There was an empty backpack and a few empty cans of food but that was it.  
"Let's go, Jay" Bass said, taking my arm and leading me back to the street. I took another drag from my cigarette, trying to calm my anger. How can people do that? I thought to myself. We walked for another twenty minutes before I stopped again.  
"What now?" Miles said, irritated. I put a finger to my lips, telling him to be quiet. I could hear someone calling for help but it was faint. I took off in the direction of the cries, ignoring the calls from Miles and Bass. I followed the noise until I came to another small camp. There were three men, one on the ground, one on top of him beating the hell out of the guy on the ground, and one searching through the tent and bags. I pulled out my sword and ran forward without thinking. The guy beating the other man saw me first and stood just in time for me to slice across his chest with my sword, cutting deep. He cried out and fell, clutching his chest as he bled out. An arm wrapped around my neck and I threw my elbow back, connecting with a hard stomach. He grunted and his grip loosened giving me the opportunity to grab his arm and threw him over my shoulder. He landed with an oomph on his back and my foot went to his throat. He clawed at my leg but to no avail. I stepped harder until I heard a crunch and his body went limp. I stared down at him angrily before spitting on him.  
"Bastard" I growled under my breath before turning to the man cowering on the ground. I ran over and knelt beside him and looked him over. His nose was broken and he had numerous cuts on his face. I reached into my bag and pulled out my first aid kit out and grabbed a shirt, ripping a strip off and pouring water on it. I reached up and began to wipe the blood off his face. He groaned and his eyes opened slightly.  
"Hey there. My name's Jaylyn. Don't worry, you're safe now" I said quietly as I wiped the rest of the blood away. Miles and Bass were staring at me in shock. "I'm going to fix your nose. It's going to hurt but I need to do it" he nodded and I quickly pushed his nose back to where it was supposed to be. He groaned loudly but stopped after a few seconds. His face was now clean but the cuts were going to need stitches and he already had purple bruises forming on his cheek. I sat him up and he smiled at me.  
"I'm Jeremy Baker." he said, sticking a shaking hand out. I shook it.  
"Jaylyn Matheson. This is my brother Miles and my boyfriend, Sebastian" I said, motioning to them. He nodded in their direction.  
"Where are you headed?" he asked as I handed him a bottle of water.  
"Chicago" I said. Miles grabbed my arm and pulled me up and away from Jeremy.  
"What are you doing, Jay?" he snarled. I raised an eyebrow.  
"Having a nice conversation" I snapped trying to pull my arm away but he held it tightly.  
"You don't know him. We have to go." he said quietly. I looked over at Jeremy.  
"We can't just leave him here" I said.  
"Yes, we can" Miles said trying to pull me towards the road. I ripped my arm out of his grasp.  
"You can go but if you do, you're no better than the guys who did this to him" I growled. He looked at me, shocked. "I'm not going to leave this man to die. I'd never be able to live with myself" I said before going back over to Jeremy.  
"Was there anyone else here with you?" I asked quietly. He shook his head.  
"My wife and daughter...they died two weeks after the lights went out" he choked out.  
"I'm sorry" I said, taking his hand. He smiled slightly and nodded. "If you want to come with us, you're welcome to" He looked at Miles and Bass.  
"I'm not sure I'm welcome" he said quietly. I laughed.  
"Don't worry about them." I said. He was quiet for a few moments before nodding.  
"Okay. If you're sure" he said as he tried to stand. I grabbed his hand and helped him stand.  
"Jaylyn, can I talk to you for a second?" Bass asked, taking my hand and pulling me away from Miles and Jeremy. "Are you sure about this?"  
"Yes, Bass. Everything has gone to hell. We need to do this the way we always would or else we are all going to lose our humanity. Someone has to do something. These people need someone to protect them and make them feel safe again." I said. He pulled me close and kissed me lightly.  
"Okay" he said simply. I looked at him, shocked.  
"Okay? That's it?" I said in disbelief. He smiled and kissed me again.  
"I agree with you. So let's do something about it." he said. A huge grin spread across my face and I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him.  
"I love you" the words slipped out before I could think. I froze, my eyes wide. I felt his body stiffen and my heart began to race. He pulled away and looked down at me. I could feel myself blushing. He didn't say anything for what seemed like ages.  
"I love you, Jaylyn." he said finally. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding and I smiled up at him. He pulled me to him and kissed me so passionately I thought my knees would give out. For those few moments I forgot about all the death and pain and fear. All that mattered was me and Bass and the love we shared for each other..


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five-Until death do us part

Five years after the blackout

I opened the door to Bass' office and saw him sitting at his desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He looked up when I walked in and his jaw dropped slightly. I was wearing a tight black dress that went down to just above my mid thigh. It was a halter dress and the back was open all the way down to the base of my spine. On my feet I wore strappy black two inch heels and my hair fell in waves around my shoulders. He stood as I closed the door behind me.  
"Did you forget about our anniversary dinner tonight?" I asked as he came up to me and pinned me against the door.  
"Of course not. Just been a long day. I'm sorry love" he said before he kissed me lightly. He looked pretty sexy in his military uniform.  
"Well, whenever you're ready General" I said seductively as I opened the door and began walking down the hall. He followed quickly and took my hand.  
"I have something special planned for tonight" he said as we walked through the halls. There were militia guards all over the place and they all smiled and nodded as we walked by. We exited the building and I gasped at what I saw. There was a horse drawn carriage waiting at the foot of the stairs. It had flower pedals all over it. I looked up at him and he smiled down at me.  
"Do you like it?" he asked quietly as he helped me up.  
"Oh Bass, it's amazing" I said breathlessly. The driver who was dressed in a simple black tuxedo snapped the reigns and we were off to wherever Sebastian had planned.  
"You look beautiful, Jaylyn" he whispered in my ear as his hand slid up my leg sending tingles up my spine.  
"And you look handsome, as always" I said as I touched his cheek lightly. I hadn't been paying attention to our surrounding but when the carriage stopped I looked around. We weren't in the city anymore but just outside of it. He climbed out of the carriage and put his hand out to help me out. He held my hand and lead me about a hundred yards down a small dirt road. We rounded a corner and I gasped. There was a small meadow and there were hundreds of candles all around it. There were beautiful flowers growing and in the center there was a small table with two place settings. He guided me over to the table and pulled the chair out for me. I sat and stared at him in disbelief. He had done many sweet things for me but nothing would ever top this. A man appeared with a bottle of champagne and poured us each a glass.  
"Bass this is amazing" I said quietly as I looked around. I looked at him and he was staring at me, a small smile on his lips.  
"You deserve the best" he said. I smiled and took a sip of my champagne, which was delicious. "How was your day?"  
"Oh you know, the same as every other day. Ran this morning, then I lead a yoga session down by the river. Then I had my kick boxing class today, which they're getting much better, by the way. Then I taught the hand to hand combat class after that." I said. His eyes narrowed slightly.  
"Have I ever told you it's incredibly sexy and intimidating knowing that you could kick my ass?" he asked. I shrugged and winked.  
"Once or twice" I said. He smiled and stood, walking over to stand next to me. I turned in my chair to face him. His face was slightly red.  
"You alright babe?" I asked. He nodded and cleared his throat before dropping down on one knee. My heart nearly stopped and my hand went to cover my mouth. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small square box.  
"Jaylyn, I've loved you since the night I met you. You're beautiful, smart, kind and tough as nails. You make me feel more alive then I ever have in my whole life. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" he asked. Tears were streaming down my face as he opened the box and took out the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. It was a silver band with a larger diamond in the middle and two small diamonds on either side of it. Simple yet gorgeous.  
"Oh Sebastian of course I'll marry you!" I said quietly and a huge smile spread across his face as he slipped the ring on my left ring finger. I threw my arms around his neck and he picked me up, hugging me tightly. I kissed him passionately and he backed us up until we were on a blanket that I hadn't even noticed was there. He knelt down and laid me down on it and broke the kiss. He gazed down at me and touched my cheek lightly.  
"I love you" he whispered as his other hand traveled lightly up my thigh.  
"I love you too, Bass" I said before pulling him into another kiss. That night, my fiance and I made love underneath the stars...


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six-Things are beginning to change

Eleven years after the blackout

I burst into Bass' office and saw him sitting at his desk, an almost empty bottle of whiskey in his hand. He glanced up at me but didn't say anything.  
"Bass are you alright?" I asked as I rushed to his side. He had a rather large cut above his left eye and he was still covered in dust. I knelt in front of him and took his hand in mine. "Bass" I said again. He finally looked down at me and I stifled a gasp. The lack of emotion in his eyes was terrifying.  
"I'm fine sweetheart" he said, his voice monotone.  
"I heard about the explosion and came strait home. I was so worried" I said as I leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Where's Miles?" I asked worriedly. He nodded to the door at the other side of the room. I stood and rushed over and opened it. Miles was on the bed and he looked worse than Bass and he was still unconscious. I pulled a chair up beside the bed and took his limp hand.  
"Oh Miles, please wake up" I whispered as I leaned forward and brushed his hair off his forehead. He stirred and groaned but didn't wake up. I heard Bass walk up behind me and he put his hands on my shoulders. I looked up at him.  
"What happened?" I asked. He didn't look away from Miles.  
"We were at the restaurant having a drink when the wall exploded." he said simply. I looked back at Miles who was starting to wake up. I heard a slight knock on the door and looked up to see Nora standing there. She smiled shyly at me and I stood, pulling her into a hug.  
"It's good to see you" I said stepping back. Nora was a good friend of Miles and Bass and I'm pretty sure her and Miles had something going on between them. Miles groaned and I turned to see him open his eyes.  
"Ugh, what happened?" he asked, sitting up slowly.  
"Someone bombed the restaurant" Bass said quietly. Miles stood and stretched. "We found who placed the bomb."Bass said, walking to the window. I shot Nora a worried glance before we followed him. I stood next to Bass and looked down at the street. There was a carriage and coffins were being loaded onto it. Five coffins in total.  
"Five people placed one bomb?" I asked, confused. Bass was quiet for a minute.  
"No only one. The others are his wife and kids" he said. The lack of emotion in his voice scared me but I kept my mouth shut. "He wanted to hurt my family so I hurt his family" he said before he walked out of the room. I looked up at Miles and his face mirrored mine. Bass wasn't the same. We had been married for five years now and at first it was amazing but over the years he was becoming less and less like the Bass I knew. He was becoming colder and angrier every year. I knew that running a Republic couldn't be easy and he had every reason to be stressed out but it was changing who he was and it scared me. Now he had killed an innocent woman and her children and didn't think twice about it. I decided to let him have some space for now and I wrapped my arms around Miles' waist.  
"I'm glad you're okay little brother" I said into his chest. He kissed the top of my head and smiled down at me.  
"You can't get rid of me that easily" he said, winking. I rolled my eyes and nodded to Nora before I left the building. I walked down the streets of Philadelphia, trying to clear my head. I loved Sebastian with everything I had. We were perfect together. But the Sebastian I fell in love with was slipping away and I felt like there was nothing I could do about it. I walked for what seemed like hours before I found myself standing in front of our bedroom door. I opened it slowly and I saw Bass standing at the window. I closed the door behind me and approached him slowly. When I reached him I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind and rested my head against his back. We stayed like that for a long time before he sighed and turned around. He took my face in his hands and kissed me lightly.  
"Hello Mrs. Monroe" he said, smiling. My Bass was back, for the moment. After eleven years together and six years of marriage my heart still ached with the amount of love I had for him and I still couldn't get used to being called Mrs. Monroe.  
"Hello Mr. Monroe" I said quietly.  
"I didn't think it was possible but you get more beautiful every day" he whispered. I smiled up at him.  
"Still such a charmer" I said, referring to the first night we met. He laughed.  
"Only for you babe" he said. He kissed me again and this time it was deep and passionate. My fingers went to his jacket and I began to unbutton it before sliding it off his shoulders. His hands went to my shirt and lifted it over my head. He moved us backwards until the backs of my knees hit the bed, causing me to fall. He landed on top of me and it didn't take long for us to remove the rest of our clothing and lose ourselves in each other once more...

"Why did you have his wife and children killed?" I asked after a long time of being wrapped in each others arms. I felt him stiffen.  
"He tried to kill me and Miles. Do you really think they didn't know what he was doing?" he snapped. I shrugged, trying not to show my fear.  
"Just because he was a criminal doesn't mean they deserved to die for his stupidity" I said. He unwrapped his arms from around me and climbed out of bed and pulled his pants on. He turned and glared at me.  
"When I want your advice on running _my_ Republic I'll ask for it" he spit out before grabbing his shirt and storming out of the room and slamming the door. I stared at the door in shock. Well that was a first. He had never gotten mad at me for giving my opinion. He'd gotten irritated before but never angry about it. I slipped out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans, light sweater and my combat boots before grabbing my belt that held my gun and my sword. I opened the door quietly and crept through the halls. It was late, past midnight so I didn't run into many people on the street. I walked all the way out of the city until I reached the meadow where Bass had asked me to marry him. I laid down in the grass and looked up at the stars. I had never been afraid of a man in my entire life. I had always been very independent and never took shit from anyone and Sebastian knew that. He always said he loved that about me. Now, for the first time, I was afraid. He was getting progressively worse and I feared it would turn physical. If that happened I knew what I would do. I would leave him. I loved him more than I could even express and I knew I always would but I wouldn't put up with that. I stayed in the meadow all night, dozing in and out of sleep. I was awoken by the sun rising. I stood and stretched before making my way back home. I walked up the front steps and nodded at the guards standing there.  
"Good morning " they said in unison.  
"Morning" I mumbled before walking through the door that they held open for me. I reached our bedroom and entered, not surprised that Bass was not there. I sat on the end of the bed and put my head in my hands, rubbing my temples. There was a knock on the door.  
"Yea, come in" I called. The door opened and a guard entered.  
"Mr. Matheson left this for you this morning ma'am" he said, handing me a piece of paper. I stood and took it.  
"Thanks Rob" I said, smiling. I knew most of the guards by first name and I made sure I acknowledged all of them. It was easier that way. He nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. I opened the piece of paper and read the note Miles left.  
_Jay,_  
_I couldn't find you this morning. Had me worried. I wanted to talk to you so I'm going to be at the cafe down the street for a few hours. Meet me if you can. _  
_Miles_  
I folded the note and put it in my back pocket before heading to the cafe. I found Miles tucked away in a corner, papers strewn about the table. I walked over and sat across from him. He looked up and smiled.  
"Where were you this morning?" he asked.  
"I was at the meadow" I said quietly as I played with the ring on my left ring finger. Miles put down the paper he had and looked at me.  
"What's going on, Jay?" he asked. I glanced around making sure no one was listening.  
"Bass is...starting to scare me" I said finally. He sighed and put his head in his hands.  
"Yea he's starting to scare me too" he said. "What he did to that woman and her kids was...wrong"  
"I know. I asked him why he did it and he got furious with me. Told me that if he wanted my advice on running his Republic, he'd ask for it. I haven't seen him since" I said quietly. Miles looked at me in shock. "Miles, I'm afraid it's going to turn physical. I love him so much but I can't stay if that happens. He's slipping away and I don't know what to do to help him."  
"I'm not so sure you can help him" he said. A tear slid down my cheek and he reached over and took my hand.  
"If he ever lays a hand on you like that I'll kill him myself" he whispered. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I squeezed his hand and gave him a weak smile. The most important man in both of our lives was dying and becoming someone completely different...and there wasn't a single thing either of us could do about it...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven-This is goodbye, for now

Two weeks after the explosion

I knocked on Bass' office door before I opened it. He was leaning over a map, Jeremy standing next to him. They looked up when I entered. Bass looked angry.  
"I'm working Jaylyn" he snapped. I swallowed.  
"Bass, it's late. Come to bed" I said, stepping closer. He looked at Jeremy and nodded to the door. Jeremy got the message and stepped out, closing the door behind him. Bass ran a hand through his hair and sighed.  
"You need to stop bothering me while I work" he said as he poured a glass of whiskey.  
"Bass, it's one in the morning. I'm sure whatever you're doing can wait till morning" I said as I approached him. He tipped his whiskey back and slammed the glass on the table, making me jump.  
"Last time I checked, I was in charge. Not you" He said, glaring at me. Anger surged through me. "Stop talking to me like that. I'm your wife, not some hooker you grabbed off the street" I snapped. His eyes widened in surprise. "I'm not trying to run the Republic. I'm giving my opinions so stop treating me like I'm some bimbo who doesn't know what I'm talking about"  
I could see he was fuming. His fists were clenching and un clenching repeatedly.  
"You're not a part of this militia. You are my wife. You have no affect on the decisions I make" he growled, taking a step forward. I stood my ground but fear raced through my veins.  
"Bass, you're starting to scare me." I said quietly as he stopped right in front of me. "You're...different. The man I fell in love with eleven years ago wouldn't murder a woman and her children without thinking twice. You're angry all the time and you act like you don't love me anymore." I looked up at him and he stared down at me with no emotion. He was silent or a long time.  
"I have work to do. Get out" he said, stepping away.  
"You son of a bitch" I hissed. His head whipped around and he closed the gap between us in two steps. He grabbed my shoulders and shoved me against the wall. My head hit the wall and his fingers dug into my shoulders.  
"You do not speak to me like that" he snarled, his voice low. I put my hands on his chest and shoved him away.  
"Don't touch me like that you asshole" I yelled. I wasn't expecting what happened next. His hand connected with my cheek before I could react. The force of it brought me to my knees and my hand went to my face. It stung and I tasted blood in my mouth. Tears burned my eyes and I stood up shakily. His eyes were wide, as if he couldn't believe what he just did.  
"Jaylyn, I'm so sorry. I.." he stammered as he took a step forward. I flinched and took a step back. Tears streamed down my face as I stared at him. "Jay, sweetheart, please." he whispered. He reached for me and I stood, paralyzed. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me to him. He held me for a long time before I wrapped my arms around his waist and began to sob. He stroked my hair. "I'm so sorry" he whispered. I looked up at him and I saw tears in his eyes at the sight of my face. It would bruise.  
"Bass, you're slipping away and I don't know how to help you." I said as my hands went to his face and pulled him into a kiss. He took a deep breath and rested his forehead against mine.  
"I'm sorry. It wont happen again, I promise" he whispered. I took his hands in mine and gave him a weak smile.  
"Come to bed" I said, pulling him with me. He nodded and we went to our room and laid in each others arms, not saying a word..

The next morning I was surprised to find Bass still in bed, his arms wrapped firmly around my waist, my back to his front. I turned my head to look at him and saw that he was awake.  
"Good morning beautiful" he whispered pressing a kiss to my cheek. I rolled over to face him and his face fell. His fingers reached up to touch my cheek gently. Memories from last night came flooding back and I swallowed hard. "Jaylyn, I'm so sorry"  
"I know." I said before kissing him. "I love you so much"  
"I love you. Always" he said. I looked out the window and saw the sun was already high in the sky.  
"Don't you have to get to work?" I asked. He shrugged and pulled me closer.  
"I think I'll take the day off" he said. I laughed.  
"You can just take the day off?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow.  
"It is my Republic you know." he said as he leaned forward, kissing me. "Besides, it's going to be a lot of work keeping my wife in bed all day." he kissed his way over to my ear and down my neck. I laughed and ran my nails down his naked back making him shiver.  
"Sounds like a perfect day" I moaned as he reached my breast. I felt him smile and he made good on his promise. We spent all day in bed, exploring each other over and over again.

The following day Bass woke up early to make up for his day off. He kissed me lightly before exiting our room. I laid in bed for a long time after he left, my hand moving subconsciously to my cheek. I stood and walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The corner of my lip was split open and a dark bruise was forming on my cheek. Tears formed in my eyes as I pulled on a pair of jeans and a black wife beater tank top before putting on my black combat boots. I pulled my hair back into a messy bun and strapped my belt on. I walked down the hall to Bass' office and knocked lightly on the door.  
"Come in" I heard him call. I opened the door and saw him and Miles standing by a desk looking at some papers. They both looked up but their reactions were different. Bass smiled and Miles' eyes widened. I walked over to Bass and kissed him lightly.  
"Going somewhere?" he asked as his arm wrapped around my waist. I avoided looking at Miles.  
"I was just going to go for a walk. Maybe go to the library for a while" I said. Bass smiled and kissed my forehead.  
"I was hoping you'd join me for dinner tonight" he said quietly. I smiled slightly up at him.  
"Of course darling" I said. I leaned up and kissed him. "I'll see you later" I said before turning to leave, but not before I caught Miles' gaze. He looked furious. I shook my head slightly before leaving them to work. I made it about fifty feet down the street before Miles caught up to me.  
"Jaylyn" he said, spinning me around. His hand went to my chin and tilted my face so he could see my cheek better. "That son of a bitch. I'm gonna kill him"  
"Miles, just drop it" I said, trying to turn and walk away. He grabbed my arm and I automatically flinched away. He let go and stared at me, shocked.  
"What happened?" he asked. I looked down at my feet.  
"I...I brought up the woman and her kids again and told him he was turning into a cold, scarry person and he got angry. He pushed me against the wall so I shoved him off and told him he was being an asshole. So he hit me" I said quietly. I heard his teeth grinding and I looked up. I had never seen him so mad before.  
"He's dead" he said, turning to go back.  
"Miles, no!" I yelled after him. He was walking fast and I had to jog to keep up with him but he wouldn't stop. He burst into Bass' office and before Bass could do anything he was on the floor, blood coming from his nose.  
"You son of a bitch!" Miles yelled. I grabbed his arm trying to hold him back.  
"Miles, please! Stop!" I cried, pulling him back. Bass stood, his face red with blood. They stood there, staring at each other breathing heavily. Miles raised his arm and pointed at Bass.  
"If you ever touch her like that again, I'll kill you" he hissed. Bass ran a hand across his face, wiping the blood away before sighing.  
"Miles, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. It wont happen again. You know how much I love her" he said quietly.  
"I don't give a shit how much you love her or how much she loves you. If you hit her again, I'll slit your throat" he said before storming out of the room. I stared after him, my eyes wide. I looked back at Bass who was running his hands through his hair.  
"Bass, I'm sorry. I tried to stop him" I said, walking over and wrapping my arms around his waist. I saw a tear slide down his cheek.  
"I wish I could take it back, Jaylyn. I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am" he whispered. I leaned up and kissed him.  
"I know babe" I said before kissing him again. I put on a brave face and made it look like I was okay with it but on the inside I was breaking. "I'll see you for dinner" I said before going to find Miles.

I walked down the hall to Miles' room and knocked.  
"What?" he yelled. I opened the door and he turned to look. When he saw me, his face softened. I glanced around the room and saw that his closet was open and there was a backpack on his bed.  
"Miles, what are you doing?" I asked, my eyes finding his. He sighed and sat down on his bed putting his head in his hands. I swallowed and took a deep breath. "You're leaving, aren't you?" I asked. He looked up at me, his eyes revealing how sad he was.  
"Yes, I am" he said quietly. I let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I sat down next to him and took his hand.  
"Where will you go?" I asked. He looked out the window and was silent for a moment.  
"Chicago. That's where Ben was going. I'm not sure if he's still there but it's a start" he said. He squeezed my hand and looked at me. "Come with me" he whispered. I felt tears forming and I tried to hold them back.  
"I can't do that. I can't leave him" I said. I looked down at my left hand, at the beautiful rings on my left finger.  
"Jay, I know you love him. I love him too. He's my best friend, but we both know that the Sebastian we love is gone." he said. Tears were sliding down my cheeks because I knew he was right.  
"He promised it wouldn't happen again" I whispered. He turned my face so I was looking at him. "If it happened once it'll happen again. Maybe not right away but it will happen again. I can't leave you behind. What happens three years from now when this happens again but he doesn't stop. He could kill you" he said. I nodded. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right about everything. We sat in silence for a long time.  
"When are you leaving?" I asked.  
"Tonight. After the city's gone to sleep" he said. I nodded and wiped away my tears.  
"I'll be ready to leave by midnight." I whispered before standing and walking to my room. I sat on my bed and stared at the wall for what was probably hours. I finally walked to the closet and reached into the back, pulling my backpack out. I filled it with my road clothes and my first aid kit before going to my safe and pulling out all the ammunition. I made sure that it wasn't obvious that a lot of my things were missing so Bass didn't notice. By the time I was done the sun was going down. I changed into a simple sun dress and made my way to the dining room to find Bass already there. He looked up when I entered and smiled. I put on a smile that would fool him and walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck. He kissed me deeply and my breathing became heavy.  
"You need to stop that or else we wont be eating dinner" I said as his lips traveled to my ear. He smiled and lead me to my seat. We made small talk during dinner and before I knew it we were done. He came over and took my hand.  
"Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight?" he whispered as he slowly backed me up against the wall. I smiled.  
"Not in the last five minutes, no" I said. He smirked and kissed me hard. I moaned and he picked me up so my legs wrapped around his waist. He pulled away and brought me to our room. He laid me down on the bed and soon our clothes were off. I savored every moment because I knew that this was the last time I would be with my husband...

Bass snored softly, his back facing me. I quietly slipped out of bed and got dressed before reaching into the back of the closet for my bag. I heard a small click and looked over to see Miles standing at the foot of the bed, a gun in his hand. Fear raced through my veins.  
"Miles" I whispered and walked over to him. "Don't" Bass stirred and I looked at him. His eyes slid open and he looked confused. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something when he saw the gun. He sat up and stared up at us.  
"Miles?" he asked. Then he looked at me. The fear and sadness I saw in his eyes absolutely broke my heart. "Jaylyn, what's going on?" he asked. Tears slid down my cheeks as Miles rose the gun. His hand was shaking. None of us moved for a long time. Finally, Miles put the gun down. I let out a breath. Bass' eyes had never left mine. Miles took a chair and threw it at the window, shattering it. He looked at me and I looked back at Bass. Tears were shining in his eyes.  
"I love you" I whispered before taking Miles' hand as we jumped out the window landing softly in the bushes only a few feet below. We took off towards the stables and the sound we heard almost made me collapse.  
"Jaylyn!" I heard Bass scream, the agony in his voice heartbreaking. I slowed down but Miles grabbed my hand.  
"It's for the best, Jay" he whispered as he dragged me down the street. We reached the stables and grabbed our horses. We were out of Philadelphia before Bass could raise the alarm. Every step we took away from Philly, my heart broke again and again...


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight-Reunion

_Fifteen years after the blackout_

"If you keep drinking like that we aren't going to have any alcohol left" I looked up from my empty glass at Miles who was smiling faintly at me but didn't say anything. I just grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured another glass. He sighed and leaned on the bar.  
"Jay, it's been four years." he said.  
"I know how long it's been Miles" I snapped, taking a sip of my drink. A glint from my left hand caught my attention and I looked down at my wedding and engagement ring that I still wore. Pain shot through my chest. I could still hear Bass crying my name in agony. I would hear it in my dreams and wake up with tears soaking my cheeks, my whole body shaking. Miles put his hand on mine and squeezed lightly before returning to the others at the bar. We were living in an old hotel at the moment. It was better than nothing but it was pretty run down and dirty. The seat next to me which had been empty all night now had an occupant.  
"Hello beautiful" I heard someone slur. I glanced over at the scum bag sitting next to me. "Can I buy you a drink?" I held up the bottle of whiskey.  
"I'm all set, thanks" I said, looking away. He sat there for a minute before finally getting up.  
"Bitch" he muttered. I rolled my eyes and finished off my glass. I poured another one and stared at the wall. The last four years had been the most miserable of my entire life. Leaving Bass had been for the best, at least that's what Miles kept telling me but I couldn't figure out who it was best for. I was a mess and I'm sure Bass was too. Every day my heart ached. I missed him so much. He was my husband after all. Stories had reached Chicago of the terrible things happening throughout the Monroe Republic. Stories that General Monroe had gone somewhat mad, growing more paranoid and angry every day. So many people had died since Miles and I left so I drank to make myself feel better.  
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Miles and Jaylyn" I heard a woman ask. I tipped back the rest of my whiskey and looked to my right and almost choked. Miles looked at her and raised an eyebrow.  
"Who's asking?" he asked. She looked nervously at me before back at Miles.  
"Charlie Matheson" she said. I stood and looked at her. She looked so much like Rachel yet so much like Ben. Miles was gaping at her.  
"You've gotten so big" I whispered and she looked at me with wide eyes.  
"Aunt Jaylyn?" she asked. I nodded and smiled and she wrapped her arms around my waist, squeezing tight. I hugged her back and a tear slid down my cheek. I pulled away and looked down at her.  
"You came all the way to Chicago by yourself?" I asked. She nodded. "What's wrong? Where's Ben?" She looked at the ground and shook her head.  
"Monroe's men came for him. I don't know why. They...they shot him and took Danny." she said, her voice shaking. I looked at Miles who ran a hand through his hair. "Dad told me to come find you to help me get Danny back."  
"Do you know where they're taking him?" I asked. She shook her head.  
"Philly I think, I'm not sure" she said. I took a deep, shaky breath. If we were going to save Danny, we were most likely going to have to see Bass again. I looked over at Miles.  
"Miles, he's our nephew. Who knows what Bass would do to him" I said. He nodded.  
"Bass? You talk as if you know him" Charlie said. I looked at her.  
"I guess Ben didn't tell you" I said as I poured another glass of whiskey and downed it. "He's my husband" She gaped at me.  
"Your husband is General Monroe?" she said in disbelief. I shook my head.  
"No, Sebastian Monroe is my husband, not General Monroe." I said. She raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything else. Miles was looking at me.  
"I don't know, Jay." he said. I leaned on the bar and pleaded with him with my eyes.  
"We can't just let him take Danny. You and I both know what he's capable of" I said quietly so Charlie couldn't hear. "If she's anything like Rachel, she'll go without us. We're the only family they have left." He sighed and stood up strait. He didn't seem too keen on going. I heard the door open and I glanced around. I hadn't noticed before but everyone had left the bar and the men standing at the door looked menacing. My hand slowly went to the hilt of my sword on my hip and I glanced at Miles. He had noticed them too and his hand was on his sword.  
"Charlie, get out of here." I whispered. She looked at me, confused then noticed the men at the door. She started to back away and as soon as she was at a safe distance Miles and I pulled out our swords. The men charged and it was as if the last four years hadn't happened. We fought like we had when we were with Bass. It took less than two minutes to take them all down. We stood there, breathing heavily looking at each other. He nodded and headed to his room. I went to check on Charlie. She was staring at the men with wide eyes.  
"Let's go" I said and she followed me to my room. I grabbed a bag and filled it with a few changes of clothes and the guns I wasn't supposed to have. I grabbed my two other swords off my dresser and slung them across my back before putting my bag on my shoulders.  
"I didn't realize you were such a good fighter" she said, watching me. I sighed and looked at her.  
"Before the blackout I was Special Forces in the United States Army. Your uncle was Marines. I guess the training never leaves you" I said as we made our way back down to the kitchen. I grabbed bottles of water and some bread and shoved it in my bag. When we got back to the bar Miles was grabbing bottles of liquor and putting them in his bag. I walked behind the bar and grabbed a few bottles of whiskey. Charlie was watching us like we were crazy.  
"Is that really necessary?" she asked. We both stopped and stared at her and she laughed. "Alright, sorry" she said. Once we finally had everything we needed we began our long journey to find Danny. It was a long way to Philadelphia for which I was grateful. It gave me plenty of time to prepare to see my husband again and prepare for the consequences we would receive if we were caught...

We stared down at Philadelphia silently. It was just as beautiful as it was four years ago. We had been so close to getting Danny back numerous times but the militia was very good at their job.  
"This is the most secure city on the continent. How are we supposed to get in let alone find Danny?" Charlie asked. Miles looked at her and smiled.  
"We lived here for almost ten years. We know things about it that Monroe knows nothing about" he said.  
"It's been four years Miles. He might have found the tunnels by now" I said. "There's no way he isn't expecting us to show up here."  
"I know that Jay. Can you think of another way in?" he asked. I sighed and shook my head. "Alright. We'll wait until the sun goes down, then we'll go" he said. "He'll be close to Monroe. He knows we're coming so it wont be easy but I think we can pull it off if we're discrete about it" he said. I took a deep breath and waited for Charlie and Nora to go back to the camp we had set up. I looked up at Miles.  
"You know what'll happen if we get caught, right?" I asked. Miles nodded, his eyes never leaving the city below us.  
"You don't have to do this, Jaylyn" he said quietly.  
"Yes, I do. Let's just hope we don't see him" I said hopefully. He laughed. I knew it was more than likely that we would see Bass but I hoped with everything I had that we wouldn't. I don't think I could handle seeing him, what he's become. I wasn't afraid of being tortured or being killed. I was afraid to see the man that my husband had become. Miles eventually went back to the camp but I stayed, staring down at what used to be my home. The sun set and I finally went back to the others. They were preparing to leave. I grabbed my bag and took a bottle of whiskey out, taking a long sip. Aaron, a friend of Ben's looked at it and I smiled, offering him some. He took a sip and nodded in thanks before handing it back.  
"You ready, Jay?" Miles asked. I took a deep breath and nodded before we set out to the tunnels that lead into the heart of Philadelphia.

We had been in the tunnels for a while now and I was starting to feel dizzy. I looked around and my heart nearly stopped. Bass was standing to my right, staring at me. I stopped dead in my tracks.  
"How could you leave me, Jaylyn? I loved you so much and you left me alone" he said. Tears formed in my eyes and my breathing picked up. He couldn't be there. It was impossible.  
"Jay, you alright?" Miles asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.  
"He knows we're in here. The doors are sealed off." I whispered. He looked at me, confused. "I am seeing things, Miles. I'm not crazy so that means I'm not getting enough oxygen. All the exits are sealed. We need to hurry" I said, rushing forward. He followed and we made our way quickly through the tunnel.  
"What's wrong?" Charlie asked as she caught up with me.  
"We need to get out of here or we're all going to suffocate" I said. She gasped but kept up. We finally reached the door we needed to go through and it was sealed shut. I stared at it for a minute before looking at Miles.  
"Do you think you can break it down?" I asked. He shrugged.  
"We might be able to do it together." He said. We stepped back and kicked the door with all our might. It shuddered but didn't break. We kicked it again and again until it finally broke off it's hinges. Fresh air rushed into my lungs and I took deep breaths. I heard voices and I motioned for everyone to follow. We ran up the stairs and there were four guards rushing towards us. Miles and I were the first to reach them and we took them down quickly.  
"So much for being discrete" Miles mumbled as we reached the top of the steps. There weren't any more guards but I was sure they would be there soon. We crept through the streets of Philadelphia as quickly and quietly as possible.  
"Where do you think he is?" I asked Miles. He looked around before answering.  
"The old nuclear power plant. We converted it into a prison. That's where I'd put him" he said to himself. I nodded and we made our way to the other side of the city. By the time we reached the power plant the sun was rising. We had to stop numerous times to avoid detection. We stopped and scoped out the power plant. There were at least ten guards that we could see.  
"Well this definitely looks like the right place" Charlie muttered.  
"How are we going to get in?" I asked Miles. He looked at Nora and she nodded. She grabbed her bag and took off to our left. "Where's she going?"  
"To cause a distraction" he said. About two minutes later Nora was back with a detonator in her hand. Miles nodded and she pressed the button. A loud explosion went off and the guards began to move in that direction. We took the opportunity to sneak up behind them and make our way inside without being seen.  
"We should split up. We'll cover more ground" I said. Miles shook his head and I glared at him.  
"We'll meet back here in fifteen minutes." I whispered before taking off to our right alone. I went to the bottom floor and saw a row of cells. I began checking each cell but they were all empty. I reached the end of the hall and looked in the last cell and gasped. A young boy who looked so much like Ben was sitting inside. He stood when he saw me and tears filled my eyes.  
"Danny?" I asked. He reached to door and stared at me.  
"Aunt Jay?" he asked. I smiled and nodded, tears sliding down my cheeks.  
"Oh you're so handsome!" I said. He smiled as I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my lock picking kit. I pulled out the two pieces I needed and began to pick the lock. It clicked and I opened the door and Danny wrapped me in a hug.  
"I've missed you!" he said as he pulled away. I grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall. "Where are we going?" he whispered.  
"We're going to meet up with Charlie and Miles" I said.  
"Uncle Miles is here?" he asked, surprised. I nodded as we made our way back up the stairs. We reached the second floor and I pushed him into an empty cell and we stood against the wall. Three militia men ran by and I let out a breath. I heard more footsteps and pulled out my knife, ready to strike when I saw Charlie and Miles round the corner. Miles had a few cuts on his face and he was bleeding.  
"What happened?" I asked him as Charlie rushed to Danny, hugging him.  
"I saw him. He's here" Miles said, taking deep breaths. "We have to go" he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the exit when I heard the blades of a helicopter. My eyes widened and I stopped to look around. The others continued through the field. I looked, trying to find the chopper but it wasn't visible yet. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my calf, bringing me to my knees. A bullet had ripped through the side of my calf, a clean wound. I looked to see the chopper rise to my left and I saw the others running across the field. The guns on the chopper started to spin and soon bullets were flying at Miles and the others. I cried out to them but they couldn't hear me. I tried to follow but pain seared up my leg. Suddenly, hands were around my arms and I was being pulled back. I threw my head back and connected with something causing my right arm to be released. I swung my fist to my left and connected with someone's face. I turned to face my other attacker and instead the butt of a gun connected with my temple. I crumbled, stars blurring my vision. Strong hands grabbed me again and I knew I was being dragged inside.  
"Go find General Monroe. Tell him we have a prisoner." was the last thing I remember before blacking out.

I woke up to someone slapping me on the cheek. My eyes flew open and I saw a man standing in front of me, smirking.  
"Rise and shine beautiful" he sneered. I looked around and saw two other men behind him. "Where did your friends go?" I laughed and spit at him. His fist connected with my cheek and I tasted blood in my mouth. I looked up at him, smiling.  
"I don't know where they went" I said. His hand went to my throat and squeezed making it impossible to breathe. He kept it there until I almost passed out before letting go. I gasped for air and coughed before laughing again.  
"You can hurt me as much as you want, it wont change my answer" I said. He pulled me out of my chair, my hands still bound. I noticed the knife on his hip and began to devise a plan. He led me to a large tub of water and I pretended to hyper ventilate. "No, please no!" I cried before pretending to pass out. He let me collapse onto the floor and I heard him sigh.  
"Dumb bitch" he muttered before he rolled me over and cut the ropes that bound my hands. I heard chains being rattled and I took the opportunity. I jumped up and grabbed the knife off his hip and thrust it upward into his chin. He died immediately. I turned to the other two and the first one charged at me. I ducked out of the way and sliced the second guys throat before I grabbed the other ones hair and slit his throat as well. I stood there, taking deep breaths as I looked around. I saw the door and ran to it. I heard someone on the other side and I rapped twice on the door. I heard the clicking and the door opened. One more guard stood there and I stuck the knife in his throat and pulled him inside before letting his body drop to the floor. I peeked down the hall and didn't see anyone. I went back to the bodies and grabbed all the weapons I could carry before limping down the hallway. I wasn't sure where they had brought me but I assumed it was still the power plant. I got to the end of the hallway and made a left. I took a few steps and stopped, listening. I heard footsteps above me. I limped as fast as I could, a sword in each hand, ready to fight. I assumed they found the dead guards because soon there was yelling coming from behind me and footsteps coming from in front of me. I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my breathing. My leg was in immense pain and I could barely stand. I braced myself as the voices got closer and finally a group of men walked around the corner in front of me. Before they noticed me I swung my sword and sliced the man closest to me across the chest. He looked at me, surprised before falling to the ground. I went to attack the next man when I heard the clicking of weapons. I stopped and looked around. There were four guards behind me, all with their guns pointed at me.  
"Drop it" one of them said. I ground my teeth together before putting down my sword. More footsteps approached and more men turned the corner. My eyes fell on the man in front. My jaw dropped and my vision started to go dark. Bass was standing there staring at me, surprise written all over his face. It was soon replaced with hurt and anger.  
"Hey Bass" I whispered. He took a few steps forward and he continued to stare at me. We stood there in silence for what seemed like hours before his hand shot out and grabbed me by my throat and shoved me against the wall. He squeezed so hard all my oxygen was cut off and I began to struggle. He finally let go and I slid down the wall, my hand going to my throat as I gasped for breath.  
"Clean her up and bring her to my chambers. Now" he said. Strong arms grabbed me and began to drag me away. I closed my eyes and a single tear slid down my cheek. It was as I feared. He had turned into a monster...and it was all my fault..


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine- General Monroe

After a bath that was rather humiliating since three guards stood there and watched, I stood in Bass' chambers in just a towel. He had stayed in the same room but it was so different. When I had been here it seemed warm and cozy. Now it seemed so much colder and darker. The door opened and I wrapped my towel tighter around myself. A woman came in with a box. She gave me an apologetic smile and placed the box on the bed before exiting. I opened it hesitantly and tears ran down my cheeks. Inside the box was my wedding dress. I pulled it out and sat on the bed, soft sobs escaping my lips. He was going to make me feel as guilty as possible before he killed me. I dropped the towel and carefully slipped my dress on and zipped it up. It still fit as well as it did on our wedding day but the reflection I saw in the mirror was quite different. On our wedding day I had felt beautiful and so happy I thought I would burst. Now I had bruises and cuts on my face and a dark purple bruise forming around my throat, and instead of happy tears they were tears of agony. The door opened again and two guards entered.  
"We're here to escort you to dinner" one of them said. Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I slowly followed them through the hallways of Independence Hall until we reached Bass' office. They opened the doors for me and ushered me in before closing and locking the doors behind me. A small table was in the center of the room with a single candle in the middle and two place settings on either side. A sob escaped my lips as I noticed the place settings were the ones we used on our wedding day. That's when I noticed Bass standing to my left in the shadows. He stepped forward and I saw he was dressed in his tuxedo that he wore when we got married. Silent tears continued down my cheeks.  
"Sit" he ordered. I obeyed and sat in one of the chairs but he did not. I could feel him standing behind me. His hands came up and brushed my hair off of my shoulders causing me to shiver at his touch. "You shouldn't have come back" he whispered menacingly before he took a handful of my hair and threw me across the room. I slammed into a table and crumbled to the ground but he was pulling me to my feet instantly. I was thrown into the wall and he pinned me there, his face inches from mine.  
"Bass, please" I whimpered. He slapped me across the face.  
"It's General Monroe" he growled. His hands went to my hips then around to unzip my dress. My eyes widened. I grabbed his arms, trying to get him to stop but that just made him more angry. He threw me across the room again and I landed on my back, my head slamming onto the floor. He was on top of me so fast I barely saw him move. He tugged my dress down, revealing my breasts. I began to sob audibly as he pinned my arms above my head.  
"Bass, don't do this" I pleaded with him. He looked down at me breathing heavily. "I know that the man I fell in love with is still there. Please, don't" I whispered. He let go of my hands but didn't get off of me.  
"You left me" he whispered.  
"I know. And I have regretted it every day" I said. He slammed his hands on the floor.  
"Then why didn't you come back?!" he yelled making me flinch. "I waited for you every day for two years but you never came back!" he stood and ran a hand through his hair. I fixed my dress and tried to stop my shaking hands.  
"I wanted to." I said quietly. He turned to look at me and I took a few steps closer to him. "I've died every day since I left. At first I thought it was for the best but after a while I couldn't figure out who it was the best for." I stood in front of him and reached out slowly. He froze, his eyes wide as my hand rested on his cheek. He exhaled and his eyes closed. "I didn't leave because I stopped loving you, Bass. I'll love you always" I whispered. He pulled me close and rested his forehead on mine. We stood there for a long time before he broke the silence.  
"I wanted to hate you but I just couldn't." he said. I looked up at him and his face got closer to mine. His lips lightly brushed mine and desire ran through my veins like fire. "How many?" he whispered. I pulled away and looked at him, confused.  
"How many what?" I asked.  
"How any guys since you left?" he asked, his fingers tightening on my arms. I winced in pain.  
"None" I gasped, trying to pull away.  
"You're lying" he hissed. I tugged my arms out of his grasp.  
"And how about you ya hypocrite?! How many whore's did you bring to our bed once I left?" I yelled. His eyes narrowed.  
"It's not our bed anymore Jaylyn. You gave that up when you left" he growled as he backed me against the wall. As afraid as I was, I wanted him. I missed the intimacy we had and the love we used to have.  
"And what if I said I wanted it to be ours again?" I whispered. I looked at his lips and bit my lip nervously.  
"You expect me to just forget the last four years?" his lips were so close to mine. I nodded.  
"You act as if you're the only one who suffered" I said. My hands ran up his shoulders and into his hair. "I wish I could take it back, Bass. I love you. Please" He stared at me for a long time before he finally leaned down and kissed me. My heart nearly stopped. It was just as passionate and full of love as the last time we kissed. I moaned and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and he pulled me as close to him as he could. We kissed for what seemed like hours before he finally pulled away. He took my hands in his and looked down at them. I noticed that he was still wearing his wedding ring which made me smile. He took my left hand and held it closer.  
"I've never taken them off" I whispered. He smiled, a genuine Sebastian smile.  
"Neither have I" he said. He lead me out of his office and down the hall to his chambers. Once inside he lit a few candles before pulling me close again and slowly taking my dress off. Soon we were both undressed and he was inside me, gazing down at me. For the moment, Bass was back and it was just the two of us again.  
"Welcome home, Jaylyn" he whispered. Soon, the outside world was forgotten and my husband and I made love for the first time in four years...

I woke the next morning to an empty bed. My whole body ached and memories from the previous day flooded back to me. Danny was safe with Charlie and Miles. I got out of bed and looked in the closet, gasping. All of my things were exactly where I left them.  
"I guess I always hoped you would come back." Bass said. I hadn't heard him come back. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into a sweet kiss. "I've had this dream so many times it's hard to believe you're actually here"  
"I'm not going anywhere ever again" I whispered as I leaned up and kissed him. I knew that Miles would be worried and I had to figure out a way to get word out to him that I was alright.  
"Miles is going to be worried" I said. His face fell.  
"He'll come looking for you." he stated. The look in his eye scared me and I realized what he wanted.  
"You want him to come for me" I gasped.  
"He tried to kill me. I want to return the favor" he said. I grabbed his face and made him look at me.  
"You can't! He's my brother"  
"Well if he wanted me dead so bad he should have finished the job. I'm going to find him and I am going to do what he couldn't" he said. My knees gave out and I slid down the wall. He didn't say anything, he just walked out of the room leaving me a shaking, sobbing mess on the floor of our bedroom. My husband was going try and kill my brother...sometimes I wished my life was less complicated.


End file.
